Test tool



27, 964 T. ZDRAKAS 3,153,956

TEST TOOL Filed Sept. 26, 1962 IN VEN TOR. rA ONAJZDMAAS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,153,956 TEST TOOL Thomas Zdrakas, West Isiip, N.Y., assignor to Potter Instrument Company, Inc., Piainview, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 226,380 1 Claim. (Cl. 813) This invention, generally, relates to testing implements and, more particularly, to a tool for testing the fit of an electrical contact in a socket.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a device to test the correct positioning of an electrical contact Within its socket.

Briefly, a test tool in accordance with the present invention includes a body member on which a blade is supported, the blade being dimensioned appropriately to fit within a socket against an electrical contact to be tested. By applying a slight pressure against the blade, an electrical contact which has not been fitted correctly within the socket will be pushed back into the socket.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of one form of a test tool constructed in accordance with the invention shown positioned for testing a contact within a socket; and

FIG. 2 is a side view partly in cross section showing the interior of another form of a tool in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a body member is identified, generally, by the nmneral 10, the body member being elongated and having the end 11 suitable for grasping in the hand of a user while the opposite end 12 is tapered down to a length of reduced diameter. A blade 13 is fitted within a slot in the end 12 and secured by means of a screw 14.

The blade 13 is dimensioned appropriately to fit within a socket 15 mounted on a panel 16. An electrical contact leaf, not visible, is attached separately to an electrical wire and inserted from the reverse side of the panel 16 into the socket 15. If the electrical contact leaf is inserted correctly, a portion of the leaf engages a shoulder to prevent the leaf from being removed from the reverse side of the panel 16.

Such a socket and electrical contact leaf with which the test tool of the invention is uniquely adapted to be 013- er-able is available commercially from AMP, Inc. of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the contact leaf being identified as No. 66065-1 and the socket being identified by the No. 582289-1.

Patented Oct. 27, 1964 While not limiting the previous description, a typical dimension for a blade 13 to fit a socket just described is .025 inch thick, .080 inch Wide and 1% inches long.

In F IG. 2, a form of the invention is illustrated to provide an additional feature in accordance with the invention. A body 10 is elongated as described previously and is provided with a handle 11' and a reduced diameter end 12. A blade 13' is mounted on a piston 20 slideable in a bore or recess 21.

The piston 20 has two bearing surfaces 22 and 23 on opposite sides of the piston 20, the bearing surface 22 being adapted to fixedly support the blade 13' and the opposite bearing surface 23 being adapted to press against one end of a coil spring 24 fitted within the recess 21.

Therefore, it may be seen that with this form of the invention, as forward pressure is applied from the handle 11, a predetermined force will be applied to the electrical contact as determined by the spring constant of the coil spring 24.

The following claim is intended to define the valid scope of this invention over the prior arts and to cover all changes and modifications falling within the true spirit and valid scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A tool for testing the fit of an electrical contact member Within a socket, comprising an elongated body member having opposite ends one of which being formed to fit the hand of a user,

the opposite end of the body member from the handle end having an elongated recess,

a piston snugly fitted but freely slidable within the recess including oppositely facing bearing surfaces,

a coil spring having a predetermined spring constant fitted within the recess to bear against one of the bearing surfaces of the piston and against the bottom of the recess,

an elongated flat-sided blade fixedly mounted on the other bearing surface,

the blade being approximately .025 inch thick, .080 inch wide and 1 /8 inches long to fit within a socket to be tested against an electrical contact therein, and

closure means including a rectangular port through which the blade passes readily, closing the outer opening of the recess, said rectangular port cooperating with the snugly fitted piston to prevent an possible tilting of the blade with respect to the body member.

Eslick Nov. 6, 1951 Schiller Sept. 2, 1958 

